A Summer of Change
by dirty-faced-angel
Summary: based on the movie Now and Then this is a fiction, set in the present as opposed to the 70s, about another summer involving Chrissy, Roberta, Teeny and Sam. But its not all fun and games this time. R&R please!
1. School's Out

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Mr Peterson however, and future characters mentioned are my own. Read and Review Please!  
  
  
  
Chrissy gazed up at the clock behind Mr Peterson and yawned. She could hear someone tapping their pen against the desk, watching the seconds tick by until three thirty. Checking her own, 'Hello Kitty' wristwatch to see if time moved any faster on that Chrissy groaned quietly to herself. Scribbling down the homework assignment Chrissy knew she, and the rest of the class would do as last minute as possible Chrissy dropped her pen and notebook into her backpack as the bell rang for the end of the day. Tearing out of the classroom and down the stairs towards locker number 137 she spun the combination into the lock, grabbed her textbooks and stuffed them into her backpack along with her creative writing materials and her mini disc player. Unwrapping a strawberry lollipop up Chrissy slammed her locker shut, and started to eat as she waited for the rest of her friends to join her. She could see Teeny heading towards her, singing along to her Walkman. Waving to her friend Chrissy pushed her backpack up higher and started to walk towards her just as Samantha came running around the corner, hugging Teeny from behind and making her jump. Chrissy erupted into laughter at the look on her friend's face as the headphones dropped from her ears and she turned and swiped a hand at Samantha's head. The three girls embraced in a group hug as they waited for Roberta to join them. They could hear her laugh as she approached and rushed to hug her tightly.  
  
"No more school for two whole months!" Samantha hollered, her voice echoing around the almost deserted halls.  
  
"Dang, keep it down and get outside," Roberta laughed, grabbing her friend by the hand and pulling her towards the school doors.  
  
Chrissy and Teeny hurried after them, the four girls whooping and hollering with glee at the prospect of eight weeks freedom to do whatever they wanted. Sliding into Roberta's car they turned the stereo on full blast and pulled out of the parking lot, Roberta raising her middle finger at the desolate school building. Chrissy began to sing along with Kelly Rowland as they drove towards The Gaslight Addition, their neighbourhood that was filled with families, mostly kids from school, including Roberta's boyfriend Scott. The girls had lived their all their lives; four best friends whose houses were within safe walking distance.  
  
"Will you shut up," Roberta hollered from the driver's seat, reaching out to change the radio station until Good Charlotte blasted from the stereo.  
  
Chrissy scowled, thinking back to a few summers ago to when the four friends had believed they had brought the spirit of a young boy back to life. Even back then Roberta had been the bossy one, the self appointed leader of the group. And now nothing was different. Roberta was still the leader, deciding when and where they would go places, Teeny was still star- struck, and took part in every school production, Samantha was still into science fiction and although she had given up on seances and ouji boards she still took every chance she got to try and convince people that there was life on other planets. And Chrissy, still the girliest one of the group, not very clued up about sex and not willing to try it until she was married. Labelled a prude by the guys at school she had learned, mostly by following Roberta's instructions, not to let people push her around.  
  
As the girls pulled into The Gaslight Addition they promised to meet up outside Teeny's house at seven thirty in order to go to Scott's "schools out for the summer" party that his parents didn't know he was having. Hugging each of her friends in turn, Chrissy walked slowly around to her empty house where she unlocked the door and went up into her bedroom. Laying down on her back, sprawled across her double bed, she thought about all the past summers she had shared with Roberta, Teeny and Samantha and hoped this one would be as good. But with a sinking feeling she knew it wouldn't be the same. This year, things would change. 


	2. The Party

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Bobbie Ford and Parker Jones are my own. Read and Review Please!  
  
  
  
The Party Chrissy looked down at her appearance in a mix of disgust and delight. The jeans were a little tighter than usual, the heels a little higher and the top a little lower cut. It was pink and glittery over her ample chest and Chrissy was glad her parents were out for the night. She looked over at Roberta who was lying on her back, her feet dangling above the floor. Her pale green shirt accentuated her eyes and Chrissy felt a rush of jealousy towards her friend. She watched Roberta's naturally straight, dark hair hanging off the back of the bed and she tugged at her own auburn curls which she could never style in a way she liked. Her light make up was supposed to attract attention to her face and away from her chest but Chrissy felt it didn't compete with the glitter covering her breasts. Tugging the top over her head she discarded it in the bottom of her closet, pulling on a white shirt and kicking off her heels. She'd always felt inadequate next to her best friends, Roberta, Samantha and Teeny had always attracted boys but all Chrissy had was Morton. And she didn't want him.  
  
"Roberta you better get going, you'll be late for the party," Chrissy said softly as she sat at her vanity, tugging a hairbrush roughly through the curls she loathed.  
  
"I know it's a casual party Chris but I think you're a little under- dressed," Roberta smirked at her friend's reflection.  
  
"I'm not going to the party. I'm gonna stay home."  
  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just am. Tell the guys I'll talk to them tomorrow."  
  
Roberta knew by the tone of Chrissy's voice that something was wrong but it wasn't worth pushing to find out. She'd tell them when she was ready. Kissing her friend on the head Roberta let herself out, crossing the street and walking down to Scott's house. The music could be heard as she approached and Roberta grinned when she saw Scott sitting on the front porch with a beer in his hand. He looked up and embraced her once she'd joined him on the porch, his lips melding with hers in a kiss. Her locked his fingers with Roberta's, telling her Teeny and Sam were already inside and asking where Chrissy was.  
  
"She didn't feel like coming. Something was wrong but I couldn't find out what."  
  
Samantha and Teeny waved from across the room where they were talking with Bobbie Ford and Parker Jones, Teeny giggling and touching Parker's arm at every chance she got. Roberta could see the look of lust in her eyes and watched as he leaned close and whispered something in her ear. Turning her attention to Samantha she could have sworn she was trying to convince Bobbie that aliens did exist. She knew her friends inside out; they had known each other since they were children. They had met in kindergarten when they had fought over the best cubby. Roberta had won but that hadn't stopped the four becoming inseparable friends and Fate had been on their side, pairing them up in ever class ever since. They had only fought once in sixth grade when Roberta had been picked as the lead in the school play over Teeny. Chrissy had sided with Roberta and Samantha had sided with Teeny and for two whole weeks the pairs hadn't spoken until Roberta decided to give up the role so she could join the soccer team. Now, as she watched her grown up friends minus Chrissy she felt empty inside. Even with Scott by her side, kissing her earlobe, she felt something was missing. Without Chrissy nothing was as fun, they needed her there to tell everyone to behave or quieten down and to make comments about how disgusting the couple making out in the corner was. Without that it didn't feel like a party. She made her way across the room, pulling Teeny from Parker's lips and Samantha from her heated debate with Bobbie, and dragged them outside into the yard where someone was throwing up on the lawn and a couple were heavy petting the next door neighbours rose bushes.  
  
"Where's Chrissy?"  
  
"She stayed home. And I think we need to go keep her company. Something is bugging her."  
  
Teeny pouted, "I was having fun."  
  
Roberta glared at her, "Remember when you were sick and we all came and sat by your bed, missing that concert? Don't you think its time we paid Chrissy back by going to keep her company? She's obviously bummed bout something."  
  
"I guess you're right," Teeny admitted, her bottom lip still stuck out in a pout as she linked arms with Samantha and Roberta and they headed for Chrissy's house. They headed up to her room where she sat, silently staring into her mirror, not even pausing to look up when the stairs creaked with the weight of her friends.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" she blurted out when she noticed them.  
  
"We came to keep our best friend company," Samantha said as they descended upon her, hugging her tightly amongst them.  
  
"You guys are the best." 


	3. Roberta

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. I wanna say a big thanks to ShadowGoddess for her review; this chapter is especially for her! Read and Review Please!  
  
  
  
A Big Decision  
  
Roberta lay back on her bed, looking around her bedroom at the sports posters, photographs and baseballs hats hung on the walls. The radio played behind her, drowning out the sound of her brother's shouts. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the photograph of her mom stuck in the corner of her mirror. Roberta sighed softly.  
  
"Mom I wish you were here," she whispered to the empty room, "maybe then this decision wouldn't be so hard."  
  
Roberta's eyes flicked over to the photograph of her and Scott that had been taken at Homecoming, one of the very few times she had worn a dress. Scott's arms were around her waist; his head rested on her shoulder and Roberta's hands rested over his. A cheeky smile played across her lips and taking a second look at it Roberta could see the look of love in Scott's eyes she hadn't noticed before. Ever since they had kissed in her back yard, the summer they had brought Dear Johnny back to life Roberta and Scott had held feelings for one another. After another few secret kisses and a year had passed Scott asked her to be his girlfriend. That had been three years ago. Roberta knew everyone thought they were sleeping together, everyone except her best friends that is. Sure, Roberta had seen Scott naked the summer they first kissed and he had seen her in her bikini but neither had approached the subject of sex. Until now.  
  
**FLASHBACK**  
  
The night before, when the couple had been alone in Scott's bedroom, after a while of making out, Scott's hands slid under his girlfriend's shirt. Roberta had ignored them until they started to unbutton her jeans and she'd pushed him away and rolled off the bed.  
  
"What's wrong?" Scott had asked, pushing a sheaf of his golden blond hair away from his face.  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
  
  
Scott gave a small laugh, "I thought that much would have been obvious. C'mon Bertie you know you can trust me. It's been three years and we'll both be seventeen later in the year. I'm not gonna hurt you." He got off the bed and took Roberta in his arms.  
  
"I'm not sure about it though Scott, we're young and I don't know, we're just young."  
  
  
  
"Hey its ok if you don't wanna, I'm not pushing you into it. But promise me you'll think about it."  
  
"I promise."  
  
**END FLASHBACK**  
  
So here she was, thinking about it. She thought back to the first summer she and her friends had discussed sex, when she had first kissed Scott and when she had seen her first naked male. Back then it had seemed simple; sex wasn't something to be afraid of. She had thought she knew everything there was to know and although she had never expected she would want to have sex Roberta had never expected to be worried about it. But now the sheer thought of a man "watering her garden" (as Chrissy's mom had described it) gave her shivers and her stomach plummeted. But looking at the photograph of her and Scott sitting on her desk calmed her fears, she knew she could trust him to be gentle and go slowly with her. They were both beginners and he was right, it was time to take their relationship further.  
  
Roberta picked up her phone from her nightstand and dialled her boyfriend's number, "Scott? It's Roberta. Can you come over tonight?" 


	4. Samantha

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Read and Review Please!  
  
  
  
Samantha  
  
Samantha pulled the sliding doors roughly open with a slight grunt. She could hear music that meant her mother had a guest and she planned to quietly slip through the kitchen and up to her room until the door slammed shut behind her. Samantha winced.  
  
"Samantha? Is that you dear? Come and meet our guests."  
  
"Sure mom," Sam stepped into the front room. She immediately recognised her mom's boyfriend Bud and had no idea who the other two people sitting there were.  
  
"This is Jeannie and Dave. Friends of Bud's."  
  
Samantha smiled politely at them both, desperate to get away. Bud smiled sickly at her and stepped close. She could smell the beer on his breath as he whispered, "Keep out the way tonight," and passed her a twenty dollar bill discreetly.  
  
"Just gonna grab a soda mom then I'm going to Teeny's," Sam forced a smile as she hurried from the room, grabbing a soda from the fridge and heading back out the door.  
  
Instead of heading down the street to her best friend's house Samantha began to walk to the main road out of the Gaslight Addition. Sipping her soda she thought back to when she had first met Bud. Her father had just moved out and her mom started dating this awful man. He'd tried so hard to fit in with their family and Samantha had taken an instant dislike to him. But Teeny had made her see that it wasn't so bad her parents not being together and Sam still saw her father every other weekend. But she had never managed to like Bud. He moved in not long ago and began to act even more like her father. Only his "nice guy" exterior had begun to fade and whenever he wanted time alone with her mom he gave Samantha and Angela money to go out. Tonight had been nothing unusual; in fact Bud had gotten pretty good at slipping the girls money without their mom noticing. Not that she was all that bright anyway. The highway was brightly lit and Samantha began to slowly walk along the side, watching the cars zooming past her until their taillights disappeared around a bend in the road. Throwing her empty soda can into the bushes Sam kept on walking, not caring how far away she was getting from home or how cold she was in just a sweater. Ever since her father had left Samantha's life felt different and no amount of school work or science fiction novels she attempted to write could cure the emptiness inside her. She had once thought getting a boyfriend would help her feel more confident and loved but that hadn't worked. Guys were only interested in two things, and Samantha didn't care about sex or sports. She longed to find a guy like her father, kind, caring and someone who actually listened when she talked, but that dream was slipping further and further away with every minute that passed. It seemed no amount of searching would find this perfect guy so she had long given up.  
  
It was hours later that Samantha returned home, her arms and face numb from the cold wind, the twenty bucks still stuffed into her back pocket. Avoiding the glance Bud shot her way when she snuck past the living room she hurried to her bedroom, taking out a box from under her bed. Getting under the blankets she pushed the photographs out of the way and ran her finger along the smooth blade at the bottom of the box. Her hand closed around it and she lifted it to the light, admiring the way rainbows appeared on the cool metal as she turned it over. Pressing it gently against her numb skin she smiled as the tip of the blade easily sunk into her soft flesh. Then, she seemed to realise what she was doing and threw the blade across the room, sucking her bleeding arm into her mouth. Hopefully this one wouldn't scar like the last lot. 


	5. Teeny

Teeny  
  
The room was still decorated in shades of orange and yellow. Mirrors, pictures of movie stars and school memorabilia decorating the walls. The room was instantly recognisable as Tina Turrcell's bedroom. Tina, known to the people that mattered as Teeny, sat at her desk, watching her face change expression in the large mirror she had insisted her father hang in front of her bed. She was practising for the drama club's production of Grease, in which she was staring as Sandy.  
  
  
  
"Guess mine is not the first heartbroken, my eyes are not the first to cry. I'm not the first to know there's just no getting over you. I know I'm just a fool who's willing, to sit around and wait for you. But baby can't you see there's nothing left for me to do? I'm hopelessly devoted to you. But now there's no where to hide since you pushed my love aside, I'm out on my head. Hopelessly devoted to you, hopelessly devoted to you. Hopelessly devoted to you," she sang half-heartedly.  
  
  
  
Throwing the script she held in one hand down to the floor Teeny pushed her chair back and threw her body onto the double bed she had acquired after a lot of begging. She knew this play back to front and knew her character inside and out and when she ran lines with Chrissy, Roberta or Sam she did fine. But the minute Martin Hendrix, the boy who was playing Danny, asked her to run lines with him she froze. Her head went empty and she started to giggle. And even now Teeny couldn't get her mind off of Martin. He was a year older than her and not part of the usual group Teeny had crushes on. He was quiet, intense about drama and art, didn't play a single sport and had never dated a cheerleader in his life. Yet Teeny couldn't stop wondering what it would be like to have his lips on hers, his hands exploring her body and letting him have her virginity. In the play they had to kiss numerous times but it was too early in rehearsal to start practising, as much as Teeny longed to. She often found herself staring at his full lips or deep into his dark brown eyes or watching as he brushed a hand over his dark hair. Every time he spoke she felt her knees get weak and her legs turn to jelly. Rolling onto her back Teeny sighed. She suddenly knew how Sandy felt without Danny in the movie, Grease. Teeny was hopelessly devoted to Martin and there was nothing she could do about it.  
  
  
  
Feeling desperate she pulled herself off of the bed and out the window onto the roof. From here she could still see the drive in movie theatre that had been there since her mother and father were children. It showed old movies and musicals every Friday, Saturday and Wednesday night. By now Teeny didn't need to hear the movies, she could recite every part herself and that's what she did now. Ironically Grease was playing and Teeny could make out car headlights as she watched Olivia Newton John and John Travolta singing on screen.  
  
  
  
"Summer loving, happened so fast. Summer loving had me a blast. Met a girl crazy for me. Met a boy cute as can be. Summer days drifted away oh ah to the summer nights," Teeny sang along.  
  
  
  
She sighed softly as continued to recite the lines of Sandy, trying her best not to picture Martin and her on stage in front of the entire school. She had never felt this way about a guy before. Usually guys chased her, including the older ones and the jocks. This whole experience was new to her and she didn't like it. 


	6. Chrissy

Chrissy  
  
One shaking hand held her thick auburn hair away from her face as she retched into the porcelain toilet bowl. Everything she had just eaten emptied from her stomach as her knees began to ache. Her chest heaved as Chrissy sat back on her heels, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth and pulling the flush on the toilet. The air was pungent with the smell of vomit now and Chrissy desperately reached for an air freshener to try and mask the smell. She didn't want her mother asking unnecessary questions. She let go of her hair and shook it free before standing and making her way, slightly shakily, into her bedroom where she half collapsed onto the bed. The way her stomach rolled ever so slightly repulsed her and kicking her door shut she stripped off her shirt and stood before the full-length mirror her mother had insisted upon. She was what her grandmother would call a "real woman." She was curvy for her age with hips Teeny envied and breasts to rival Roberta's. Her stomach had a slight roundness to her that her mother promised some man would find attractive but so far none had. As she stared at her reflection, running one hand over her stomach she thought on each of her friends. Each with their flat, toned stomachs, skinny legs and small bottoms. As she looked at herself she realised why boys didn't want to date her, every guy looked at her and then compared her to her friends. And with friends as gorgeous as Teeny, Samantha and Roberta it was no wonder Chrissy got left behind. She thought back to the summer with Dear Johnny when she had complained that wearing Roberta's sweater made her look fat. Teeny's reply had stuck in her mind ever since. She replayed it over and over again every day and resolved to herself she would make sure no one would ever say that to her again.  
  
"You are fat."  
  
That's why she was making herself sick. That's why she had started eating smaller portions at meal times and skipping any meal she could. That's why she stuck to drinking water with every meal. She wanted to be the envy of everyone. She wanted boys to flock to her like they did to her friends. She wanted to make everyone who had made her feel worthless because of her weight feel exactly the same. And that would be her summer goal. Before school started in September Chrissy would be thin.  
  
"I WILL be thin," she said firmly before pulling her shirt back over her head.  
  
Pulling the weighing scales from under her bed she stood onto them and recorded her weight in the small diary that lay open on her desk. Day one was over. She had two months to go. 


	7. The Big Night

A Summer of Change **DISCLAIMER** all characters here are part of the film Now and Then. They are not my own. R&R please!  
The Big Night  
"Bye dad," Roberta hollered from the front door, waving as her father's car drove away, her brothers still arguing over something trivial in the backseat. She pushed the door closed and ran up to her bedroom, stuffing a box of condoms into her nightstand, fluffing pillows and fixing her hair. She smoothed her shirt down then nervously struggled out of it. She pulled her old jeans off at the same time, throwing them under her bed. She paced the room nervously in her underwear, tonight was supposed to be special, one of the most important nights of her life. so why did she feel so sick? The doorbell rang and Roberta shook as she pulled clean jeans and a low cut shirt on. She felt stupid as she rushed down to pull the door open. Scott stood on the other side, as she had expected, looking calm and gorgeous. She could tell he'd washed his hair especially for tonight, he was wearing his best jeans and the shirt she'd given him for his birthday last year. As he took her into his arms she could smell the expensive cologne he saved for special occasions and she melted into his body and his kisses.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked once they had pulled apart, "we can wait."  
  
Roberta took his hand and led him up to her bedroom, a room they had been in many times before but she had never felt so nervous. She could feel Scott's hand trembling in her own and knew that under his calm exterior he was just as nervous as she was. That calmed her slightly and together they sat on her bed. They began to kiss once again, slowly she felt Scott push her back until she was laying out on the bed with him resting his weight gently on top of her. His hands held both of her own as they made out but as time passed they slide under her shirt and began to remove it. All worries and apprehensions Roberta had been experiencing before now vanished as Scott undressed her and then himself.  
  
"I love you Roberta," he said softly as he pushed inside her.  
  
It was over quicker than Roberta had expected and the whole experience had been a lot easier and more pleasurable than she had heard. The pain had been intense for a moment but soon had passed and she'd begun to enjoy what they were doing. Now that it was all over they lay in one another's arm, Scott's hand stroking her soft skin soothingly, his breathing calming and reassuring in her ear. She snuggled closer, resting her head upon his chest. She knew then, at that exact moment that this single act had changed everything and at the same time she felt a rush of excitement and wonder and the sinking feeling that comes with regret and dread. Suddenly she was finding it hard to concentrate on her thoughts as Scott's lips covered her own and his body moved to cover hers, his hands exploring her, his lips moving down her slender neck. Her body began to respond to his kisses and touches and she kissed back. The decision they had made not only affected their relationship it would have effects on everyone around them. And perhaps not for good. 


	8. No One Would Understand

A Summer of Change  
  
**DISCLAIMER** All characters are creations of the movie Now and Then  
Telling The Friends  
Roberta took a sip of her soda and looked around her friends, surveying their expressions. Each was different. Chrissy looked shocked, Teeny looked jealous and Sam just looked curious. She hadn't expected anything less; the expressions displayed were just what she had expected from each friend. What she hadn't expected was the extent of Chrissy's reaction.  
  
"I can't believe you did that Roberta! That is disgusting, you're far too young to be sleeping with boys," disgust laced her voice, "you should be waiting until your married, like decent people do," Chrissy shook her head at her best friend as she pushed herself out of the booth they were sharing and towards the door. Roberta was too shocked to stop her as one of the people closest to her left the small café they used as a hang out.  
  
Teeny snorted with laughter, "What a prude. Don't listen to her Roberta, what you did was normal for girls our age. I'm surprised you did it before me though."  
  
Roberta couldn't help but laugh at the look of superiority displayed on Teeny's face and when Sam noticed it she couldn't surpress the laughter either. Teeny dissolved into giggles at the same time.  
  
"So what was it like?"  
  
"It was. strange. Totally different to what I imagined. But I liked it," Roberta smiled as the door to the café opened and Scott and his friends stepped through the door. Roberta smiled softly, "Hey."  
  
Scott slid into the booth beside her, his friends following suit, and he kissed his girlfriends lips softly. Sam rolled her eyes, all displays of affection were lost on Sam, she didn't believe in love. She looked down at her arms, her hand fleetingly touching the place where she had recently marked herself. She was oblivious to everything going on around her as she ran her fingers over the cuts beneath the material of her long sleeved shirt. She never showed her arms anymore, it was too dangerous. Anything above the elbow had to be kept hidden constantly, otherwise people would start asking questions. She thought back to the other night when she had pulled the scissors across her upper arms, how the skin had punctured and how she had watched the blood trickled down her arm as she did it again and again. It had stung and started the throb but she didn't care, it blocked out the hurt from when her father had left, when he had stopped caring. And better than that, it blocked out all thoughts of Bud. Thoughts that plagued her night and day until she could be alone with something sharp.  
  
"Sam," the voice cut through her thoughts like a knife, "we're gonna go catch a movie, you coming?"  
  
"No thanks, I've got to go look after Angela while my mom goes shopping," Samantha lied.  
  
"Ok, I'll call you later," Teeny hugged her best friend and they left her there. She rolled the sleeves of her shirt up and stared at the marks. No one would understand why she did it, which is why she had to keep it secret.  
  
Little did Samantha know but at that exact moment Chrissy's thoughts mirrored hers. As she knelt by the toilet bowl, her chest heaving, vomit pungent in the air, she whispered to herself.  
  
"No one would understand." 


	9. Rehearsals

DISCLAIMER: **all characters except Martin Hendrix are creations of the movie Now and Then. Please Read and Review!  
  
Rehearsals  
  
Samantha sat in the back of the school auditorium, Teeny's backpack on the seat beside her, scribbling furiously in her notepad. Teeny and Martin stood opposite each other on stage, rehearsing some scene from 'Grease' that Samantha was sure she should have been paying attention to but a new idea for a science fiction novel had popped into her head and she knew she had to start writing now. The cuts on her arms rubbed uncomfortably against her long sleeved shirt and she winced and her hand continued to scribble furiously across the page.  
  
Up on stage Teeny was struggling to remember her lines in the face of Martin. He looked so amazing today and he was the best actor Teeny had ever seen and she was even able to admit he was better than she was. Especially since today she'd been stammering her way through every line and every song and had been unable to remember any of the stage directions. She knew if she didn't sort herself out soon she'd be dropped from the play. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before pushing thoughts of Martin into the back of her mind and picturing Olivia Newton John. Taking another deep breath she listened to Martin's line he was reciting before heading straight into her own. The first line she had gotten right all day.  
  
Samantha looked up from her position at the back of the auditorium, checking her watch what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon. When would this be over? Watching dramatic performances had never been something Samantha had enjoyed but she'd gone to every school show to see her best friend and support her. Now she realized that watching rehearsals was even more boring. Her writing had come to a standstill when her brilliant idea had come face to face with the age-old demon of writer's block. So now, and for the past ten minutes, Samantha had been sitting staring at her notepad and subconsciously learning the lines to Grease. Not something she wanted to be doing if she was honest. Finally, after what seemed like hours; but in reality had only been an hour and a half; the rehearsal came to an end. Teeny stayed on stage to talk to the show director about her performance which Samantha, never the dramatic expert, had noticed wasn't as good as her usual standard, while Martin headed towards the door and Samantha.  
  
He stopped beside her seat as she began to stuff things into her backpack, "Hey Sam," he said, flashing her his shy smile.  
  
"Hi Martin, good performance today," she lied, wondering why he was talking to her.  
  
A pale pink blush crept across his cheeks and he looked genuinely pleased, "um. Samantha can I ask you something?"  
  
"Well you just did but sure."  
  
"Would you like to go out with me this Saturday to a movie or something?"  
  
This time the pale pink blush covered Samantha's hot cheeks and she stammered, "I'll have to think about it Martin."  
  
"Oh, ok" he said softly, his face suddenly crestfallen, "Cya around," he said softly as he pushed open the auditorium doors, flooding Samantha and the back few rows of seats in a bright light.  
  
Teeny enthusiastically bounded up to her friend and snatched her bag from the seat beside her, swinging it onto her back with a grin, "What were you guys talking about?" she enquired but didn't leave time for Samantha to answer, "isn't he gorgeous? I cant wait to start the kissing scenes, maybe we'll even get together," he eyes sparkled with excitement as she left the room, not noticing the confused and stunned look on her friend's face behind her. 


	10. Alone

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Read and Review Please!  
  
Roberta lay on her back, staring up at the stars above her, feeling the softness of the grass beneath her, listening to Scott's gentle breathing next to her. His hand was warm around her own and she felt safe lying there with him. It had been two weeks since they had first been together and neither wanted to stop now they had started. They spent as much time together as they could, forgetting their other friends for one another. Roberta rolled onto her side and watched him, his eyes closed, his blonde hair blowing a little in the breeze. He was perfect. His eyes slowly flickered open and a soft smile crossed his lips.  
  
"Hey gorgeous," he leaned over to press a soft kiss upon her lips.  
  
Roberta replied with only a kiss, her eyes closing as she sunk into it. To her, they were in the only people in the world at that moment, she couldn't hear her friends walking along the sidewalk beside her, calling her name when they saw her. She only pulled away from the kiss when a dark shadow fell over Scott and her. And there were her friends, looking down at her, frowning.  
  
"Hey guys! What's up?" she sat up, hand still encased in Scott's.  
  
"Where were you?" Teeny demanded, her hands on her hips.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You were supposed to meet us at the mall, to help me shop for costumes. It was supposed to be just us girls. And you didn't even turn up Roberta!"  
  
"Geez Teeny I forgot, it's not a big deal. Chill out!"  
  
Chrissy could barely look at her best friend as she choked out the words, "Was it also 'no big deal' when you blew me off yesterday to go get my pictures done for my grandparents?"  
  
"Or when you forgot about me seeing my dad last week?" Samantha said quietly, her voice steady but seething with silent anger.  
  
Scott sat up abruptly, "Lay off her. She's been busy these past few weeks."  
  
"Yeah screwing you Scott! Stay out of this," Teeny hollered.  
  
Both he and Roberta turned bright red at her words and Chrissy suddenly seemed very interested in her right shoe. She watched an ant crawl past her and down one of the cracks in the sidewalk. She couldn't believe Roberta's recent behaviour. She hadn't been there for any of her friends since she started sleeping with Scott, they had all needed her help and she had managed to alienate them all. And she hadn't noticed how much weight Chrissy had lost. In her mind she was still fat but it would be nice for her best friend to notice she had gone down a dress size in a week. Sam and Teeny had noticed. Subconsciously Chrissy's hand went to her stomach and she had to control every urge within herself to retch. This was about Roberta.  
  
"Don't you have anything to say?"  
  
Roberta finally dropped Scott's hand, standing slowly, "Look guys I'm sorry about this but it's not like I meant to forget. I wanted to do all that stuff with you but I've needed to spend time with Scott too. It's hard balancing you both. I'll try harder from now on, I wont keep blowing you all off. I'm here for you." She smiled weakly.  
  
Samantha raised her head, shaking her hair back from her face, "well maybe it's too late for I'm sorry. Maybe we're not going to be here for you now." And with that she waked away, Teeny following, a step behind.  
  
Chrissy's eyes locked with her best friend and in them Roberta could see she was troubled and upset, "Whats wrong Chris?" she said softly, reaching out for her friend, "Talk to me."  
  
Brushing her hand away Chrissy let the tears roll down her hot cheeks and ran after her two real friends, leaving Roberta alone. Except for Scott..  
  
***Authors Note.. sorry its not very long. I've been so busy I haven't had time to write. I'll try to keep up with this more regularly! Thank you everyone for your reviews! Keep 'em coming!** 


	11. Help

**DISCLAIMER** The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Read and Review Please!  
  
Teeny, Samantha and Chrissy were up in the treehouse, a bowl of popcorn between them. No one had said anything for a while now, each one submerged in their own thoughts. It had been a week since they had confronted Roberta outside her house and no one, including Chrissy, had heard from her in that time.  
  
Chrissy brushed a lock of her once thick curls away from her face. She hadn't touched food all day, she was still determined to lose weight and she was managing to do so. But she looked thin and gaunt now, even if she felt fat still.  
  
Teeny was running over her lines in her head, imagining the scenes where she got to kiss Martin. She was in love. But had no idea what was going on in her best friend's head.  
  
Samantha winced as she shifted her weight, her jeans rubbing against the fresh cuts on her legs. She glanced sideways at Teeny, gulping guiltily. Last night she had gone out on a date with Martin. They had met at the café downtown where the four girls, once friends, used to spend all their time during the summer and on weekends. They had sat in the corner booth, looking out onto the street, sharing an ice cream sundae. He'd been so easy to talk to; they had discussed Bud, his family, science fiction and the play. But with every mention of Teeny's name Samantha had felt an uncomfortable pang of guilt at dating her best friend's crush. And when he had kissed her on her front porch Samantha hadn't known what to do. Apart from kiss him back. The guilt had been too much though and once in the safe haven of her bedroom, knowing Angela was asleep and wouldn't crawl into bed with her older sister, something she had never quite grown out of, Sam had taken out the scissors she kept hidden under her mattress.  
  
"Have you spoken to Roberta yet?" Chrissy asked, tentatively breaking the silence.  
  
"No. And I don't want to. If she can't be bothered with us I don't see why -we- should bother with her," Teeny blurted out, dropping some popcorn into her mouth.  
  
"But she's meant to be our best friend."  
  
"Exactly! So she should be there for us, not spending every waking minute with Scott. She used to have time for us. But now we're not so important."  
  
"Samantha, what do you think?"  
  
Samantha jumped slightly at the sound of her name, taking a deep breath she shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I agree with you both."  
  
Silence fell upon the group once again, punctuated only by the chewing of popcorn and the chirping of the birds in the tree. They could hear Chrissy's gate open below them and then the sounds of someone coming up the ladder. Roberta's face appeared at the door of the treehouse and she ducked inside. She looked pale, worried and was chewing a lock of hair carefully.  
  
"What do -you- want?" Teeny asked snottily, looking down upon her friend.  
  
"I need to talk to you guys."  
  
"Well I don't wanna talk to you Roberta. I'm still mad." Teeny pushed her way past the ashen faced girl and could be seen from the treehouse window running across Chrissy's yard, Samantha soon following.  
  
Chrissy didn't know where to look. She stared from Roberta to the floor, out the window and back.  
  
"Chrissy I need your help."  
  
Roberta paused.  
  
"I'm pregnant." 


	12. Confession

DISCLAIMER The characters in this fiction are creations from the movie NOW AND THEN. Read and Review Please!

Roberta felt sick. It felt like hours since anyone had said anything. She stared down at her hands, at her mothers wedding ring. Her mother would be so disappointed in her.

"Pregnant?" Chrissy blurted out finally, "How can you be pregnant?"

"Come on Chris, your mom gave you the gardening talk. You know how this works. What do I do?"

Chrissy was speechless. She felt sick and couldn't imagine how her best friend felt. Pregnant was a word she had never imagined she would hear Roberta utter. Especially not at this age, "Have you told Scott?" Her mouth was dry as she asked, she wasn't really sure she wanted to hear the answer. She looked around the treehouse that the four friends had worked so hard to raise money for. Their childhood was held in this treehouse and it suddenly felt like it was slipping away.

"Not yet. I mean, no. I don't know if I will. I cant deal with this. I don't think he can either."

"And your dad? Your brothers? Do they know?"

"NO! I only told you and you cannot tell anyone. Not even Teeny and Sam. They obviously don't care about me anymore so whatever."

Chrissy rolled her eyes, even in a crisis Roberta was as stubborn as ever, "They're just mad at you. They wouldn't let you go through this alone Roberta and you know it. Maybe they can help. I, I don't really know how I can help."

"You're my best friend. I need your advice. I mean, I cant keep it, right?"

"Do you want to?"

Roberta finally looked Chrissy in the eyes and Chrissy saw that they were full of fear and tears were threatening to slip down Roberta's cheeks, "A baby Chris? Do I want a baby? At this age? God no. but can I live with myself if I get rid of it? Could Scott ever forgive me? Oh I'm so confused." The tears began to fall, hot against her cheeks.

Chrissy pulled her friend into a tight hug, rubbing her back. She was out of words. There was nothing left to say. She couldn't advise her friend in this situation. It was something she knew nothing about. All she could think about was how hungry she was. How hungry she had been for days. But now was not the time to get involved in her own problems. She had to find a way to help her friend. And all she could think of was to get Teeny and Samantha involved. They would know what to do. The four of them could over come anything.

"You have to tell the others. They can help," she whispered.


	13. The Eruption

The floor of the tree house was uncomfortable under Roberta's bare legs but she needed to rug the pillow to her chest and bury her face in it more than she needed to sit on it. She inhaled the strong, floral scent that hung around pretty much everything Chrissy owned. She could her best friends' heavy breathing and knew, without lifting her head, that Sam and Teeny were staring at her, their mouths open in shock. She swallowed hard and raised her eyes.

"Yup," she thought, "exactly what I expected."

Sam and Teeny were staring at her, clearly unable to process the information that Chrissy had just imparted. Roberta's eyes swiftly took in the sight of Chrissy glaring at the two other girls almost daring them to say something unsupportive.

After what felt like a lifetime to all four girls Teeny cleared her throat and hoarsely muttered the only thing that entered her mind, "So…. What's sex like?"

The inappropriate nature of the question sent Chrissy into shock but broke the tension and Roberta allowed herself to burst into nervous giggles.

"You amaze me Teeny. Even now."

Teeny blushed ever so slightly, "I'm just curious. I mean you're the first one of us to do it. And it's not like I'll get the chance to experience it anytime soon…" she trailed off letting thoughts of Martin seep into her brain.

"It's awkward and uncomfortable and amazing and … weird, all at the same time. And the consequences suck. But I don't regret a minute of it. I just have no idea what I'm going to do now."

Silence fell over the group as all four girls considered the prospect that one of them might be about to bring another life into the world. At only sixteen. It was impossible for them to get their heads around the idea but they wanted to give their friend solid advice.

All except Sam.

No one had noticed her stony expression and her almost angry silence because they were all so wrapped up in their own thoughts.

"Maybe I could be a mom… I mean its not like college is for everyone. And I didn't exactly have a huge career planned out."

Suddenly Sam leapt to her feet, sweeping her backpack into her arms, "God Roberta you are SO stupid! You get pregnant after all of the FUCKING sex education we've had. Even Chrissy knows the virtues of safe sex! How dumb do you have to be? And now you are seriously considering bringing a baby into this world? Oh my god. Hasn't your dad suffered enough with the loss of his wife and your brother failing out of school. Just give him one more thing to feel like a failure! I hope you do have this baby and ruin your life and in 10 years realise what a fucking mistake you made and abandon your kid just like my dad left me because I was cramping his style. Well done on making the biggest mistake of your life!" And with those words she angrily descended from the tree house and bolted across Chrissy's yard, leaving the three other girls in shock.


	14. Dear Johnny

Sam's words hung in the air and the three remaining girls sat in silence contemplating what that outburst would mean for the group. They had always been honest with each other but the brutality of her words had left them stunned. Tears silently slid down Roberta's cheek and she rocked back and forth.

Chrissy slid closer to her friend and slowly rubbed her back, "Roberta don't listen to her. You wouldn't be ruining your life."

A sob caught in Roberta's throat, "Of course I would. And not just mine. Scott's too. And what about my dad? How would I even begin to tell him what a mess I've gotten myself into? But I just don't think I can get rid of this baby."

Teeny slithered across the tree house to mimic Chrissy's actions on the other side of Roberta and the girls sat there, silently contemplating when life had become this difficult as the sun sank behind the trees.

Sam trudged along the side of the highway, trying to block out the feelings of guilt that were seeping in as she thought about the words she had scathingly thrown at her best friend. It wasn't Roberta's fault that the conventional family nowadays involved divorced parents, step parents and a sister that still wet the bed at thirteen. Sam wondered when life had gotten so complicated and let her mind wander back to the summer of Dear Johnny. Summer three years ago had been so simple. The eight week vacation from school was spent doing fake séances, raising money for a tree house and playing softball with the boys. She longed for those days when her friendships had been effortless and her mom had made an effort with her children.

The night air was chilly and Samantha shivered. She hadn't noticed the sun setting and had no idea how long she had been walking. Teeny had no doubt called her mom's house looking for her but Sam had no desire to return home and face the third degree from her mom and Bud.

Looking around her she suddenly recognised her surroundings as being close to the graveyard where Dear Johnny was buried. The coincidence was too much for Sam and she headed toward the heavy iron gates that led into the cemetery, stopping to pick a handful of wildflowers before she pushed open the creaking gates. Even now she knew exactly where to find Johnny's grave. She wove her way through the rows of cold, marble headstones until she found the one she was looking for. Laying the flowers on top of the smooth, cold surface, she sank to the hard ground.

It was funny how Dear Johnny could still inspire so many feelings in her. Regret, loneliness and fear washed over Sam and she wished she was able to cry. She needed a release from all of the emotions building up inside of her.

Then a revelation came to her. It was as if someone had switched a light on inside her brain and she began to ransack her backpack.

Her hand closed around the cool metal of her dad's swiss army knife and she triumphantly pulled it from her backpack. The metal glinted in the moonlight and Sam felt a wave of calm wash over her body. This was how she would gain control over her swirling emotions that clouded her brain. She could no longer deal with the guilt about her bitchiness towards Roberta. She didn't want to think about her truly awful step father and thinking about her dad made her stomach plummet and a lump appear in her throat. But this, this was the easiest way for her to block all of these ridiculous feelings out of her mind.

Sam pushed the sleeve of her sweatshirt up so that it bunched around her elbow. She took a deep breath and pushed the cold tip of the knife into her soft, pale flesh. She felt an awkward smile spread across her face as she dragged the blade across her skin. Red punctured the smooth white flesh and the warm crimson liquid slowly streamed down her skin.

But the sight of this red river didn't bring Sam the release she longed for. She could still hear her conscience nagging her about the way she had so cruelly taunted one of her best friends. So she dragged the knife across her skin over and over under the voices started to fade.

As the voices got quieter, the scene around Sam started to blur.

The last thing she remembered was the metallic smell of blood that swept over her before the world went black.


	15. Base to Chrissy

The shrill ring of the phone wrenched Teeny from her dreams. She cursed, longing to slip back into her subconscious where she was a seductress, capable of forming full sentences around Martin. She rolled over and angrily pulled the phone from its cradle beside her bed.

"What?" she barked.

"Tina?" the voice was hesitant and sounded full of pain and questions.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"Tina, this is Sam's mom. Is she with you? She never made it home today and I'm starting to worry. I know it's late but I assumed she was maybe sleeping over and forgot to call me."

Teeny shot up in bed, pushing her tangle of blonde locks from her eyes. She scanned the room for her clock, spying the blinking red light under a pile of clothes on her chair. She yanked the clock to the ground and focused in on the time. It was after midnight. Her voice caught in her throat as she lied, "I'm sorry ma'am I thought Sam had called you. She's sleeping here tonight. The four of us girls decided on a spontaneous sleepover. I'll tell Sam to call you in the morning, she's asleep right now."

She heard Sam's mom exhale slowly, "Thank you Tina. Please have someone call me the next time you girls decide to do this! And make sure you called Chrissy's mom and Roberta's dad. I was going out of my mind here."

With a click the phone went dead and Teeny's mind began to race. Where the hell was her best friend at this time of night? She fumbled in the bed sheets for her cell phone, hoping Sam had called or texted. Nothing. It was too late to call Chrissy's house but she needed to contact the two other girls. Sam's outburst today and now her disappearance were so out of character that Teeny could feel herself begin to sweat. Suddenly an idea came to her. She remembered the expert system the girls had used before they had cell phones to contact each other in the middle of the night. She leapt from the bed and hurried over to her closet, pulling out sweaters and pants and throwing shoes over her shoulder as she searched for the correct box. Her hand closed over the Steve Madden shoe box which contained all the relics of their summer three years ago, the last time they had used their system. She pulled the walkie talkie out from amongst candles, tarot cards and a poster of Devon Sawa from his _Casper_ days. She prayed it still worked and that Chrissy, by some stroke of luck had hers close to hand. And it was turned on.

"Base to Chrissy. Base to Chrissy."


	16. Sheer Luck

Roberta lay flat on her back, her hands crossed over her stomach, staring up at the pink floral canopy draped over Chrissy's bed. She had always found her best friend's bedroom a little _too_ pink but now that she was here, trying to sleep, the sheer volume of femininity was making Roberta's head hurt. Beside her, Chrissy rolled over and grunted softly in her sleep. Roberta pushed back the comforter and silently slipped out of the bed. She padded over to the closet where she turned on the light and shut herself in. she had always felt so safe when she was cocooned in a dimly lit closet. Something about the smell of clean clothes. She pulled down a worn hoodie that she knew used to belong to Chrissy's dad and wrapped herself in it. She knew exactly what she needed right now to take her mind off everything that was going on. The fight with Sam was still playing in her head and she needed to remember what their friendship was like before everything had become so complicated. She reached into the back of the closet and pulled out Chrissy's wooden "memory box," which was filled with photos of the girls since they were babies. She began to sift through the photos looking for the one that she knew would bring a smile to her face no matter what. Her hand had just closed over the one she was looking for when she heard Teeny's voice echoing around the closet.

"Base to Chrissy. For Christ sake PLEASE answer me!"

Roberta looked around her, confused as to where Teeny's voice was coming from. It sounded very far away and muffled yet she could hear the frustration in it. Hurrying out to Chrissy's room, she grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand and dialled Teeny's number.

"Roberta!"

"Teeny what the hell is going on? I could hear you calling us but I have NO idea where it was coming from."

"Oh my God Roberta I used the old walkie talkie. Thank God Chrissy keeps absolutely everything. It's a miracle it was even on!"

"What's going on? It's almost one am."

"It's Sam! She's missing. Her mom called me. She never went home after the tree house this afternoon. I'm terrified B, where could she be?"

Roberta felt as if her entire world had stopped. She didn't know what to do. Her mouth was dry and as hard as she tried she couldn't form words. Her fight with Sam began to swim in her mind, the venomous words her friend had spat at her filling her brain. She reached out and shook Chrissy violently. Her friend groaned softly and sat up slowly. Her auburn curls were askew and she looked confused as Roberta silently thrust the phone out to her.

"Yes…?" Chrissy asked hesitantly.

"Chris, it's Teeny. Sam's missing. We need to meet up."

Chrissy's maternal extinct automatically took over, "We'll meet you outside your house in five minutes. Start thinking where she could be."

She ended the call and threw the phone to Roberta, simultaneously rolling out of bed and pulling her jeans on over her pyjama pants. She grabbed two heavy sweaters from the closet and pulling her best friend behind her, Chrissy snuck out of the house for the first time in her life.

She ran across the Gaslight Addition to where Teeny stood outside her parent's house, fully dressed and chewing on her nails nervously.

"Where could she be?" she practically hollered as the two girls pulled her into their embrace.

"Calm down Teeny. Shelby is a small town. We'll find her. Where is the most obvious place she would be?"

Roberta spoke for the first time since hearing of her friend's disappearance, "Her dads?"

"No, her mom would have called him first."

Silence returned to the group with the girls scanned their brain for possible ideas where their friend would go. There was no where in Shelby that would be open this late and the foursome had no other close friends for Sam to hide out with.

In a sudden flash of brilliance Teeny's head snapped up, "Dear Johnny!"

"What?"

"Dear Johnny. The graveyard. Sam's mentioned that summer twice in the past few weeks. It's the only possibility!"

Without another word the girls began to run.


	17. the Graveyard

It was pitch black in the graveyard when the girls arrived. Roberta silently wished one of them had remembered a flashlight. Chrissy gripped the hands of her best friends fearfully. She hoped that Teeny was right and Sam was here. Otherwise they were all out of ideas as to where to find her. The girls began to patrol the graves, row by row, calling out Sam's name as they did.

"This is hopeless. We'll never find her," Teeny sighed, "We don't even know if she's in here."

"Come on Teeny. Have faith. Lets spilt up to cover more ground," Roberta tried to be positive and push aside the terror that was threatening to over come her, "We'll meet back at the east gate in fifteen minutes."

Giving Chrissy a quick hug to reassure her, Roberta sprinted off. She was determined to find her friend.

The fifteen minutes passed far too quickly for her liking and soon Roberta found herself running back to the gates where her friends would be waiting. She rounded the corner and saw Chrissy standing there, her arms wrapped around herself to keep warm.

"Where's Teeny?"

Chrissy shrugged, "On her way I guess?"

Suddenly the respectful silence that enveloped the graveyard was broken by a blood curdling scream. Roberta didn't even stop to exchange glances with Chrissy, she merely grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her through the trees and graves in the direction of the scream. She came across Teeny, kneeling over a large dark shape, sobbing.

"Teeny, what is it?"

The words broke through the sobs, "Its Sam. She's unconscious. There's blood everywhere."

Roberta pulled her friend off Sam's unmoving body and threw her cell phone to Chrissy, "Call 911 and then my dad," she rolled Sam onto her back exposing the deep cuts on her friends arms. She yanked her sweater over her head and tried to wipe away some of the blood that had congealed around the wounds. She blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall at the sight of the fresh wounds and deep scars that littered Sam's arms, "Come on Sam. Wake up. I need you right now. I don't care what you said earlier. Please wake up." She sat down next to the body and cradled Sam in her arms. Teeny and Chrissy joined her and the three girls waited for help to come.


	18. Hospital

Roberta paced back and forth, her sneakers making squeaking noises on the cool linoleum of the hospital floor. Teeny sat with her arm around a silently sobbing Chrissy. Sam's mom and dad were at the end of the corridor, standing on opposite sides of the door that kept them from their daughter. Angela was sat at her father's feet, staring intently at the wall, her expression vacant.

Sam had been unconscious for approximately four hours now and the doctor had quietly explained that she had lost a lot of blood. They had her hooked up to an IV and were monitoring her progress. Family were the only visitors she was allowed until a bitter argument had broken out between her parents. Her blood pressure had spiked and the doctor had exiled everyone to the waiting room.

Roberta didn't know how much more waiting she could take. Hospitals had always freaked her out since her mom died and this extended period of time in one was making her mind wander to that night. She could remember the feel of the hard plastic chair through her pyjamas. The smell of the sterilising products made her eyes water and she could hear the faint "beep" of the machines which kept people alive. The machines that had failed to keep her mother alive. Subconsciously, her hand fanned out across her stomach where her child was growing inside her. She knew that she could never get rid of this child. She knew that it was time to face up to her mistake and she hoped that her family and friends would stand by her. She hoped that Scott would stand by her. She swallowed hard. It was time to tell people.

"Roberta?"

She spun around at the sound of her name. Chrissy was holding her hand out to her best friend. Roberta allowed herself to be pulled into an embrace with two of best friends and finally gave into the tears that had been welling up since they found Sam in the graveyard.

"I'm going to keep the baby," she whispered, half hoping no one would hear her.

Neither girl spoke, there were no words. They pulled Roberta closer into their embrace and Teeny rested her head on the older girl's shoulder.

The girls were jolted from their own thoughts by the sound of heavy footsteps. The door at the end of the corridor swung open and Sam's doctor appeared.

"She's awake."


End file.
